President of South Africa Lauds Naming of Cardinal as “cause for pride"

Cape Town, 12 July, 2023 / 8:53 PM

The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, has lauded the July 9 naming of Archbishop Stephen Brislin of the country’s Cape Town Archdiocese Cardinal as a “cause for pride”.

In a Tuesday, July 11 statement, President Ramaphosa says that Pope Francis’ naming of a South African Archbishop among the 21 new Cardinal “is cause for pride among South Africans of all backgrounds and should inspire all of us to exercise our beliefs, in our diversity, with deep devotion.”

The choice of the 66-year-old Archbishop "is an exceptional personal honour and recognition of his spiritual leadership and stewardship of the Catholic Church in South Africa," the South African head of state further says. 

The South African Cardinal-designate was ordained a Priest for the Diocese of Kroonstad in November 1983.

He started his Episcopal Ministry in January 2007 when he was consecrated Bishop of Kroonstad. Three years later, he was appointed Archbishop of Cape Town Archdiocese.

Members of the South African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC) have expressed their joy over the naming of a new Cardinal among them.

In a July 10 statement, Catholic Bishops in the three SACBC countries of Botswana, Eswatini, and South Africa said, “As a Conference, we are happy that the Pope has recognized the gifts of Cardinal-elect Brislin and availed them for the larger Church by appointing him a Cardinal." 

The 21 newly named Cardinals, who include Archbishop Stephen Ameyu of Juba in South Sudan, and Archbishop Protase Rugambwa, the Coadjutor Archbishop of Tanzania’s Tabora Archdiocese, are to be created Cardinals at the Consistory scheduled for September 30.